Loyalty: Redux
by mooniestar-69
Summary: A re-telling of my fanfiction Loyalty. Usagi and the Senshi fight against the haughty Esmeraude only to find themselves in their most personal battle yet. Prince Demando/Usagi pairing, initially. Rated T for now, may be changed to M for adult situations.
1. Chapter 1

Loyalty: Redux

Midnight Battles

Usagi Tsukino-Chiba sighed contentedly, snuggling against her newlywed husband in their small, but quaint apartment by the seaside. A gentle breeze floated over the iron balcony and into the dimly lit bedroom, carrying the lightest scent of salt and ocean waves. Mamoru Tsukino-Chiba was shirtless, holding his freshly married wife to his warm chest. He had gentle, smoldering eyes and he kissed her forehead as she wrapped her bare arms around him. After nuzzling her cooled cheek against his collarbone, enjoying the feel of his velvet skin, she looked up at him and batted her lashes rather cutely.

"Mamo-chan, do you really love me?" she asked precociously, tracing a tiny finger down the center of his chest.  
"Yes, of course I do. Always and forever, Usa-ko." He still used the nickname from when she was in junior high, and she never admitted it, but she loved it from the moment it left his lips. She hoped she was always his 'Usa-ko'.  
"How much?" Usagi pressed, pouting her bottom lip playfully. She kissed his cheek, even daring to give a little nibble. Her negligee strap slipped off one shoulder, dangling by her elbow.  
"Hmm?" He seemed distracted, and she giggled a bit.  
"How much do you love me? Tell me, Mamo-chan," she reminded him, before beginning to close in on his mouth to kiss him.  
"I love you more than... oh, it doesn't really matter. The important thing is that you should look up." For some strange reason, his voice sounded softer and further away.  
"Huh?" she pulled back, looking confused. "What do you mean, look up? What are you talking about?" Mamoru pointed up to the ceiling, encouraging her to follow his lead. She turned on her back and stared at the dim yellow light coming from the chandelier. The light started to get brighter.

"...k up," he repeated, still sounding farther away.

"I am, I don't see anything, except-"  
"Wake up, Usagi! Didn't you hear me? I said, WAKE UP!" a woman shrieked in her ear, bringing a sudden end to Usagi's wonderful dream.  
"Waaah!" she gave a dramatic scream, sitting upright at a 90 degree angle. Luna, her cat, mewled in terror, jumping off the side of the bed to avoid being struck.  
"L-Luna, was that you just now?" Usagi asked, peering blearily around the dark room. Her pink-and-white bunny pajamas were tilted to one side, reminiscent of the dream she had just been rudely awakened from. Usagi gave a childish whine. She realized that she was her normal 14-year-old, underdeveloped and unmarried self again, and that Mamoru was nowhere to be found.

"Augh, Luna! That dream was just getting good! Why'd you have to wake me up like that?" The small cat twitched her tail, giving her a reprimanding look.  
"This is no time for arguing, Usagi-chan. I just got contacted by Ami-chan. She and the others are in grave danger! You must get to the arcade. The other senshi need your help. Now transform!" Immediately, the young girl donned a serious expression. She jumped out of bed, braided pigtails trailing behind her. Grabbing the golden brooch from her dresser, she thrust it up in the air.  
"Right. Moon Crystal Power, Make-Up!" In a flash of brilliant pink, Usagi transformed into the city-wide famous Sailor Moon. Her white pajamas with pink bunnies were replaced by a white fuku and blue pleated mini skirt. White gloves adorned her arms, as did knee-high red boots to her feet. Two red jewels materialized in front of her odangoes. With a flourish, she climbed onto the window sill, so as to not disturb her family.  
"I'll be back, Luna," she shouted over her shoulder, jumping out the window. As she took the familiar path to the arcade, Usagi looked up at the black, starry sky, seeing strange bolts of violet lightning explode over the treetops. They seemed to be right above the game center, just as Luna had indicated. Usagi sprinted faster, arriving there in three minutes flat. Climbing up the side ladder, she saw the other senshi in battle stances.  
"Shabon Spray!"  
"Fire Soul!"  
Sailor Mars and Mercury attacked in unison, a mixture of searing flames and icy bubbles flying through the air. High above them, someone laughed at a piercing decibel unachievable by most women, unmistakably the enemy that Luna had warned her about. As soon as the fire and fog combination vanished, a lithe figure appeared, floating at a safe distance above their heads.  
"Missed me, Sailor brats!" she shouted gleefully. Hovering above them was a woman wearing a short, black dress and lime green hair. She held a feathered pink fan in her left hand. Usagi ran to join the senshi, standing in her famous pose.

"It's about time, Usagi-chan!" Rei chastised, breathing hard from her recent exertions.

"Did you have a good rest, Sailor Moon?" Minako asked, indirectly reminding Rei of how they were supposed to avoid saying Usagi's name in front of the enemy. Rei groaned, not liking being corrected in the middle of battle.

"Oh sure, until SOMEBODY had to disturb my rest and interrupt the best dream I've had in weeks," she said, half-scowling, half-exasperated.

"Sorry, Sailor Moon, but it was, and still is urgent," Ami apologized, pointing directly above their heads.

"I see that," she replied, getting annoyed at the mysterious woman. She pointed a gloved finger at their enemy, the other hand on her hip, and met her eyes with a fierce gaze that only a sleep-deprived teenager could achieve.  
"Hey you! Stop right there! Who exactly do you think you are?" she shouted at the levitating woman. The woman gave another high pitched cackle, making the girls wince in irritation.  
"I am Esmeraude, Prince Demando's most loyal subject. And I want that Silver Crystal!" With that, she formed a concentrated sphere of dark energy in the palm of her hand, then hurled it without pretense at Usagi. She managed to dodge it easily, leaping out of the way. Esmeraude growled in frustration and created another energy ball. She pitched it at Usagi's feet, blowing an immense crater in the roof. Usagi was thrown to the ground, clutching her right knee.  
"Sailor Moon!" the senshi cried, rushing to her side. Makoto scowled at Esmeraude with animosity.  
"How dare you attack our leader! I'll show you our true power!" Suddenly, thick bolts of jagged electricity crackled in her hands, lighting up the remains of the roof in an eerie green glow. The others quickly carried Usagi out of the way, letting her lean on their shoulders, while Makoto carried out her deadly attack.  
"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" Makoto heaved the ball of electricity with surprising speed, accurately hitting Esmeraude in the mid-section. She yelped and fell from the sky, hitting the concrete hard. The woman lay there, then curled herself into a ball, clearly in great pain. Her emerald hair tossed and tangled in the wind, obscuring her face as she looked up at the five girls, not wanting to be defeated.  
"I'll get you! Someday, I'll get you!" she seethed as the senshi closed in on her.  
"Unfortunately for you, that day has already passed. We're gonna finish you now!" Minako shouted. The rest nodded, and initiated their attack sequences. Esmeraude winced, trying to stand and gather dark energy at the same time, but was failing miserably. "No... no no!" she began pleading, desperately wanting to avoid the shame of losing.

"It's too late for you," Usagi whispered factitiously, unveiling her Moon Scepter. "Accept defeat!" Power from all elements began to gather and swirl around the five senshi.  
"Shine Aqua..."  
"Mars Fire..."  
"Sparkling Wide..."  
"Love Chain..." Esmeraude could only watch in horror as they gathered their powers, prepared to attack. Usagi gripped her weapon.  
"Moon Scepter..." She lowered her emerald head and closed her tear-filled eyes, unwillingly accepting her defeat.  
"Forgive me," she murmured, "I have failed you, my love. Demando!"  
"Illusion!"  
"Ignite!"  
"Pressure!"  
"Encircle!"  
"Elimination!" A brilliant array of rainbow lights flew straight at Esmeraude, her body completely encased in the explosions. The night sky was light with bright blues and greens, neon yellows and crimson reds. The wind howled and whipped around the roof of the arcade. After a few moments, the gusts died down and everyone was left standing in the dark, catching their breath. That woman... was finally defeated. Usagi sighed, dropping to her knees, and her friends hurried to her, concerned for their leader's safety. She was completely exhausted after this excursion. Middle-of-the-night escapades were just not her style. She stood up, ignoring the pain in her knee from her injury.

"That was... easier than expected," Makoto commented, dusting herself off.

"Yes, it was quite a bit faster than our usual battles. Perhaps this one was not as skilled as we thought her to be," suggested Ami, who was inputting data into her pocket-sized computer.

"Well, it's over with. I'm ready for bed... Anyone else want to join me?" said Rei, giving a smile.

"Sorry, Rei-chan, I don't swing that way," Minako laughed, brushing her long hair behind her shoulder.

"Baka, you know that's not what I meant," Rei protested, blushing slightly.

"I know, I know, I'm just kidding!" Behind them, Usagi was silent. She wanted to go back to sleep. However, something kept her awake. It was a feeling that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"Hey... I think something's wrong," she said softly. Her friends turned back to her, worried that her injury was more serious than they thought.  
"Usagi, what is it?" asked Rei, "Is your knee--?"

"No, it's not that. It's just... something is strange."

"What do you mean strange?"  
"Shh! Listen." They obeyed, even so much as holding their breaths in order to hear better.  
"I don't hear anything," whispered Minako after a few moments had passed. Usagi nodded and stood up carefully, making sure to put her weight on her good leg.  
"Exactly. She didn't scream or cry out. Nothing."

"Yeah... usually after we finish off the enemy, that last scream they always let out is still ringing in my ears," said Rei, rolling her eyes.  
"Do you think she could have faked us out?" Makoto pondered.  
"I don't know, but I say we check it out. She seemed powerful, and it wouldn't be a good idea for this one to get away." The senshi cautiously walked to the other side where they had launched their attacks. The smoke had just begun clearing away, carried on the light wind. Suddenly, there was a collective gasp from the group at what they saw.  
Crouched on the ground in a fetal position, hands covering her green hair, was Esmeraude. Not a single scratch could be seen on her. She didn't seem to notice them, and continued to whimper softly.  
"No way! We got her. She should've been blown to bits," shouted Minako angrily. Ami took out her pocket computer and scanned the area. A high-pitched beeping emitted from it, becoming faster by the second.  
"Dark energy is rising at an alarming rate!" Mercury said quickly. Looking closer, they saw a faint, black energy dome protecting her, though she did not seem to notice it. In fact, she seemed certain that she was dead at the moment.  
"I thought she was drained of her energy," said Usagi. "How can she be protecting herself like this?"  
"She isn't. This is coming from somewhere else, much stronger and more powerful than hers. Hang on, I'll try to locate the source." The blue-haired senshi studied the tiny screen, then looked straight up at the dark sky.  
"There!" She pointed up to a white silhouette floating against the stormy clouds. The senshi held their breaths as the figure hovered over Esmeraude's curled up body. It was a man in white garb, standing with his arms crossed. He stared down coldly at the scantily clad woman. His eyes flashed violet.  
"What do you think you are doing, Esmeraude?" he demanded. She jerked her head up at the sound of his voice and blanched, the blood rushing away from her face in fear.  
"Y-Your highness?" she stammered, "What are you doing here?" It was the wrong question to ask, and she knew it immediately by his expression of dissatisfaction.  
"No. The question is what are YOU doing, besides making a fool out of yourself. I specifically sent you here to get the Silver Crystal, not to waste time trying to kill these pathetic girls. Such a simple task for a simple woman. And yet you couldn't even accomplish such a menial mission?!" he roared, his face livid.  
"I-I was, but they had caught me off guard. Just give me another chance, my prince, and I swear you won't be disappointed! I swear it!" she pleaded, completely bowed in penitence. The White Prince's face darkened and he looked at her with disgust.  
"No. You have failed me for the last time. Sayonara, Esmeraude." With a flick of his hand, he detonated the energy dome around her and it imploded violently, killing her in front of the senshi's eyes. Esmeraude shrieked in agony and dissipated. Usagi gasped, her blue eyes wide. She had never seen such cruelty and mercilessness! Such power... it truly frightened her. As she looked to her left and right, she saw the other girls frozen stiff. Usagi bit her lip... she had to be strong! If not for herself, then for her friends. So she had to confront this new enemy, however scared she might be.  
"Pathetic? W-who do you think you are, calling us pathetic? Hey, I'm talking to you!" Usagi yelled. The strange man whirled around and faced her. She inhaled sharply as two violet eyes pierced through her gaze. For a split-second, she felt drawn to his eyes, making her knees weak. It must be her injury... it had to be!  
"I? I am the leader of the Black Moon, Prince Demando. And who might you be, girl?" he demanded.

"I-I am Sailor Moon, defender of Love and Justice! And you had better explain yourself before I kick your-- hey, listen to me when I'm talking to you!" The self-proclaimed Black Moon Prince had looked away, seemingly bored of her.

Speaking to this insolent girl was certainly not in his agenda. Why should he care about some no-name heroine on Earth, especially in this time. His only goal at the current moment was to track down his life-long dream and love, Neo-Queen Serenity. Once she was his, only then would he have reached true happiness. However, she could only be acquired by having the legendary Silver Crystal. Only then could he travel back to the future and release her from her quartz imprisonment. Unless... this girl before him actually owned the Crystal. If so, then...

"You say you are Sailor Moon? Then you must have what I seek."  
"That's right. But you won't get it so easily. I'll protect this Ginzuishou with my life... you'll never have this Crystal, Demando!" Usagi yelled. She clutched her brooch tightly and glared at him from the arcade roof. The other senshi nodded in agreement, determined to help keep her word.  
Demando blinked, amazed at what he was hearing. An angelic voice echoed in his mind, overlapping Sailor Moon's words.  
_"You will never have this Crystal, Demando!"_ Suddenly an image of the angel known as Neo-Queen Serenity appeared in his mind's eye, merging with the girl standing below him. She was the same! The hairstyle, the stance...  
"Those eyes. It is her. My Serenity," he whispered to himself. Usagi shifted uncomfortably under the intense gaze of this new enemy. What was he thinking? She half-wished for him to say something or even attack her. But he did not move; only stared at her quietly.  
"I will have you, no matter what the cost," he breathed. Unexpectedly, a beam of purple light flashed from his eyes, blinding Usagi. She stepped back, shielding her face and trying to blink away the brightness in her vision.  
"We shall meet again," he declared loudly, disappearing into the clouds. Everything was silent once more.  
"Come back here, you coward!" shouted Rei, finally finding her voice, although it echoed emptily into the night. Usagi flinched, forgetting that the senshi were still behind her.  
"What... just happened?" Usagi asked weakly, pressing the heel of her palms into her eyes, trying to make the flashes of light go away.  
"Well, he got away, we know that," said a disheartened Rei, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"The important thing is if you're okay though, Usagi-chan," Ami said, clearly worried about her friend's health.  
"No, I mean... yes, I'm okay."  
"Good. I say we go home and get some rest, just in case he attacks again. Let's not get caught off guard again, okay?" suggested Venus. They all nodded and detransformed, heading to their homes. Ami, however, stayed behind.  
"Ami, what's wrong?" asked Makoto. She did not reply, but typed rapidly on her mini-computer. Her head snapped up at her friends' acknowledgment.  
"What? Oh, I'm just doing one last scan of the area," she answered.  
"Okay. But go home soon, all right?" Minako said. Ami nodded. As the others left, Ami directed her scanner at Usagi, who was rounding the corner to her street below. On the screen was a small outline of her body. Ami studied it more thoroughly, and gasped. All throughout Usagi's body were small traces of dark energy, spreading like wildfire through her system. She had thought something had transpired between her and this Prince of the Dark Moon, but she never imagined...  
"Usagi! Wait!" Ami's cry echoed through the night, unheard.

To Be Continued...

**Author's Note:** Hello all, this is Mooniestar. I'm back with some new material, but not necessarily a new story! If you have been reading the story called Loyalty (formerly known as Faithful), then you know this particular story already. However, since it is quite quite QUITE old... I decided to refurbish it a little. So far, I've done one chapter (Yay!!) and I plan on re-doing the following chapters, as well as continuing with the story itself as well.

I hope this attracts new fans, as well as old ones. It is my first major fanfiction, and I'm not embarrassed to say that I'm proud of it. However, it's from my high school days, so I think it needs a bit more touching up. I would like to develop the friendship that Usagi and Saffiru hold later in the story, as well as the one-sided love between Usagi and Prince Demando. But do not fret, for I am going to keep the basic foundation of the story intact so that it's at least recognizable, heh. I hope that these changes can be welcomed with open eyes, ha ha. Anyway, please enjoy! And remember, RNR, better known as READ AND REVIEW! I love you guys... thanks for sticking with me all this time.

Oh, and I don't own Sailor Moon or any of the characters featured. That's all Takeuchi-san!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
For want of sleep

Usagi was limping slightly as she arrived at her house, taking her time climbing up to her window. Luckily, Luna had made sure it was left open for her when she returned. Grabbing hold of the ledge, she hoisted herself up easily, as if she had done it many times over. The house was dead quiet, except for Luna's silent purring at the edge of the bed. Usagi was nearly on auto-pilot as she undid the buns in her hair and crawled into bed, grateful that she had detransformed earlier so that she was in her pajamas now.  
"So sleepy..." she mumbled, sliding under the white sheets. Sleep claimed her almost immediately, and her last thoughts were of returning to her sweet dreams.  
Across the hall, the grandfather clock struck midnight. Twelve chimes sounded out, one by one, and Usagi began to stir. She opened her eyes and slowly sat up, her blond locks falling freely against the covers. One of her hands reached up to her forehead and, to her confusion, she found it burning with heat. Surely it wasn't a fever, was it? She didn't really feel sick.

"Ohh, what's going on?" she moaned, and made to move out of the bed to find the thermometer she kept in her sock drawer. Usually it was used when she wanted to skip school, and she would fake a fever by sticking the device against her lamp's light bulb. She tucked her bare feet inside her house slippers and stood up.  
Without warning, a voice called to her, echoing softly in her mind. It spoke with a mystical and seductive demeanor, a voice she couldn't help but trust.

"What... what is this?" she pondered out loud.  
"Come. Come to me, Serenity," it whispered. Instead of finding her thermometer, Usagi found herself the owner of stiff limbs, moving without her consent. She let out a gasp, and tried calling for Luna, but to no avail. It was as if an unknown presence was pushing her forward, urging her to come downstairs and to the front door. An invisible force guided her rigid fingers to the doorknob. Her hand clenched onto the cold metal and turned. The front door flew open and a fierce wind flew through the doorway, opening her to the outside. The strange voice beckoned her more, much clearer than before.  
"Come to me now, Serenity." Usagi squeezed her eyes shut and was able to shield her face against the strong gale. The phantom presence pulled at her body, compelling her forward and out the door.  
"No!" she screamed, attempting to walk against the strange force controlling her movements. The moment she screamed, the wind ceased and she heard something slam behind her. Her body fell to the ground, and she found that she could move again! The only problem was that she was now lying four feet outside from the door. She stood up rather clumsily, nearly tripping over the hem of her pajama pants, and turned to find the door had closed. With apprehension, she turned the doorknob. It... was locked!  
"Oh, great," she moaned. Usagi abandoned all pretense and began pounding on the door, hoping that someone would hear her. She finally gave up after a few minutes, cradling a sore hand.  
"Usagi, you dummy, it's past midnight," she scolded herself, convinced that nobody had heard her knocking on the door. Remembering that she hadn't shut her bedroom window, she decided to trek back and try that route. Usagi started to walk around to the side of her house. A cold breeze flew past her, creating goose bumps on her arms and legs. Even with her long sleeves and pants, she had a feeling that it wasn't the cold wind that made her shiver.  
However, when she reached the ledge again, she discovered that, it too, was also locked.  
"But I never lock my window," she wailed. She climbed back down in defeat and sat in the dew-covered grass, wondering if there was another way inside. Maybe she could try Shingo's bedroom window. If she kept quiet, she wouldn't wake him...  
Suddenly, she cried out, overcome by a throbbing pain in her head. It made her dizzy and nauseous, and the ground started to tilt upward. As she pressed her hands against her temples in order to ease the pain, she could swear that her temperature had risen. Blood was pulsing in her ears, along with that voice again.  
"Serenity," it murmured.  
"No! Leave me alone!" she shrieked, clutching her head, "Who are you?"  
"Don't be afraid... you'll know me soon enough," it declared. She tried to shut out the voice, but another wave of nausea passed over her. She gripped a tuft of grass to keep herself from falling into the sky or exploding into a million pieces.

"Please... just stop. Stop!" she begged.  
Just as suddenly as it had come, the intense pain was gone. Usagi was still, inhaling the cool night air and loosening her grip on the lawn. She didn't become aware of the other presence in front of her until a shadow crossed her face, blocking out the moonlight. As soon as she registered that it was another person, she gathered her strength and forced herself to stand. It was much easier now that she didn't feel so ill. The figure wasn't visible until a white flash burst into her vision, creating the outline of a person in front of her. A strangled cry caught in her throat.  
A tall man towered over her, dressed in a white pristine suit, with dull purple, vine-like designs on the front. He donned a white, ankle-length cape, also lined with purple. Shoulder length, silver hair framed his face, falling over amethyst eyes. She froze, staring in horror at the Prince of the Black Moon.  
"Y-You... What do you want? Prince Demando," she stammered. She was in utter shock. Never had there been an enemy to attack any of the senshi so soon, nor so directly! Usagi was panicking and she was at a loss of what to do. The best thing to do was to keep her wits, and in the meantime, try and contact the others somehow. Although she was their leader, very little did she fight alone. "You're after the Crystal, right? I really don't have time for this, so..." her words trailed off.

The Prince didn't seem to be listening to her. He was staring at her, as if sizing her up. But his gaze seemed more weighted, and she felt increasingly more uncomfortable. It took her a moment to realize that he was walking towards her as well.  
"The Crystal... yes, we'll get to that all in due time. But first things first," he murmured, closing the distance between them. At the last second, her sleep-deprived mind understood his true intentions. She stumbled back from his outreached hands.  
"No, you don't!" she yelled, reaching for her brooch in her inter-dimensional pocket. If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that in times of need, the Silver Crystal could give her strength that she could depend on. Maybe she could hold him off until she could get in the house to warn Luna. But that could put her family in danger. There were so many factors, she almost considered just fighting him alone to see if she could at least knock him out. There was only one way to find out. She shot her hand in the air.  
"Moon Crystal Pow--Ahh!" Usagi was cut off as Demando swiftly grabbed her wrist and wrenched the brooch from her hand. He tossed carelessly to the ground and jerked her to his side, wrapping his arm around her waist. She struggled against him, but he held her tightly, hugging her body to his. Usagi froze and clenched her eyes shut, waiting for him to suck her energy dry, just like Queen Beryl and Fiore had done. Then he would steal her Crystal and use it for whatever evil purpose he had in mind. But her enemies never liked getting in such a close proximity. He wasn't making any other movement to attack her, except...  
Usagi's head snapped up and she finally found her second wind, and the strength to shove him away, just as his hand slipped underneath her shirt.  
"Get away from me, you lech!" she yelled. Her cerulean eyes burned with fury, a bright blue fire raging inside them. She felt sick to her stomach again, but for a different reason now. Another man, not even Mamoru had ever touched her in that way.  
" What do you really want?" Usagi wasn't asinine. She had a pretty good idea of what he wanted, and she stopped considering going after her Crystal when she heard him chuckle.

"That Crystal of yours is only secondary to my cause of coming here. You can bring it with you, or not. Either way, it will be useless where you're going," he replied silkily, never taking his eyes off of her.

"Forget it! If you've come to terrorize me with empty threats, I'm not falling for it," she yelled, trying to ignore the throbbing in her head. If only she could get to her brooch, she could at least purify her wounds.  
"Enough!" he said sharply, causing her to jump. She was a foot away from the small compact.  
"You're coming with me, my sweet. You can say your goodbye's from my palace." He made another grab for her, but she barely dodged it. She forgot all about Luna and even the Crystal on the ground, and started running to the nearest person she trusted.  
Mamoru.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
Taken

Usagi sprinted down the street, not looking back to see if Demando was following her. She rounded the corner, in front of Maison Apt. and, taking the stairs two at a time, she dashed up to his balcony on the fourth floor, pure adrenaline pushing her to keep moving .

"Mamo-chan!" she shouted, knocking on his glass door, "Mamo-chan, please let me in!" She pressed her face against the cold glass, peering inside. Another gust of icy wind blew past, ruffling her pajama top. She held it down, shivering. She could still feel his hands on her back, inching upward...

"Please, open the door," she yelled, more insistently, squinting desperately through the glass. A light flickered on and she heard footsteps. She waited impatiently for him to come. Maybe now she would be safe. Mamoru appeared at the door, yawning. He opened it and she scrambled inside, nearly knocking him down as she clung to him.

"Usa-ko, what's wrong?" he asked sleepily. She hugged him tighter, wet tears trailing silently down her cheeks. She could not tell him, at least not without scaring him. Nevertheless, he dragged it out of her in the end. They sat on his living room couch as she explained everything. Used tissues soon littered the couch.

"Mamo-chan, I was so scared. I-I woke up and something... someone shoved me all the way outside and," she sniffled, using another tissue from the box he gave her, "and I just felt so sick, I think I had some kind of fever. Then one of our new enemies came out of nowhere and he almost took my brooch. But I ran here before he could attack me." Mamoru listened intently to her and, when she finished, he hugged her lovingly.

"And you're sure this wasn't a dream?" he asked carefully.

"No! It was real. This really happened just now," she insisted. Her tearful eyes looked upon him. "Besides... the last dream I had was much better than this."

"Ah... the wedding dream again?" he replied, smiling. He handed her another tissue. She nodded, too upset to be embarrassed by it.

"Okay, about this enemy. Do you know who it was?" he asked gently, wiping away more of her tears.

"H-he called himself P-Prince Demando," she stammered.

"A prince, huh? Well, I say we pay him a little visit. Probably nothing we can't handle. And you've got your Crystal, right?" She nodded, andreached into her invisible pocket. The color drained from her face as she remembered where she had left it.

"Uh... actually I sort of, well, left it on my lawn... I'm sorry." He sighed, then stood up and went into his bedroom to get dressed. Usagi sat there sniffling, drying her face. A minute later, Mamoru emerged and motioned for her to follow him out the balcony stairs.

"Come on. We're getting that Crystal."

"Wait, I don't think that I should go out there. I mean, what if he's still there, waiting for me?" Her body shivered as the wind picked up again.

"Good. Then I can get down to business." Rather reluctantly, she followed him down four flights of steps, trying to trust in him. They ran down the street, not stopping until they were in front of Usagi's house. In the grass, her brooch glinted dully and she snatched it up. Holding it against her heart, she could feel the Crystal's strength seeping into her. She felt much calmer as she rushed back to Mamoru's side. He stretched out his hand, only a couple feet away.

In a flash, something strong and resistant snatched her from behind, dragging her backwards.

"Usa-ko!" Usagi wailed as an intense force strangled her, tightening around her waist and snaking up to her neck. She tried her best to break free, but her arms were pinned to her sides. Usagi saw Mamoru racing toward her, a fierce uncontrolled anger in his navy blue eyes. The strange resistance squeezed around her neck, as if to never let go. She felt the same dark energy waves as with Esmeraude and...

"Mamo-chan, help me," she choked out, her vision starting to cloud over, blackness closing in. Mamoru watched in horror as his Usa-ko fell limp against the cause of her fear.

"Well, well, what have we here? An angel fallen from the heavens. And how beautiful she is!" A deep voice said. Out of the shadows, the White Prince revealed himself, carrying the blond girl in his arms. As if mocking him, the man locked his gaze with Mamoru's, and smirked when he saw Mamoru grit his teeth.

"And a king caught off his guard. Tsk, tsk, tsk." He shook his head slowly, as if reprimanding a small child. "You really should be more careful,leaving a poor girl all alone by herself, for anyone to just take."

"You... let her go. Now!" Mamoru said in a deadly whisper, enunciating each word through clenched teeth.

"And what are you going to do? Are you going to save her from me? Well?" Mamoru's eyes narrowed as the taunting voice rang in his ears. There was no way that he would surrender her to this jerk. Without a second thought, he took a running leap to the man in the shadows, determined to get Usagi back.

"Demando!" he shouted, ready to strike. In an instant, the White Prince teleported away, Usagi still knocked out cold in his arms. Mamoru grasped the empty space before him, missing his target. He then heard laughter high above in the sky. Demando was floating twenty feet in the air, holding Usagi princess style. She was unconscious, her long golden hair hanging down like a banner.

"Come now, Endymion. You obviously do not seem very motivated to save her. I think I can fix that." Using the power of the Jakozuishou, he levitated her in front of him, letting her hang in the air freely. For a moment, Mamoru thought of standing under her in case she dropped to the ground, but he found that his legs wouldn't move. Demando placed his hands over her body and sent jolts of dark energy inside of her. Her eyes snapped open and she screamed with pain as her body glowed brightly, filled with negative power.

"No! You bastard! You'll kill her!" Mamoru yelled, staring up in horror as her body crackled with black lightning. As much as he relished seeing that pathetic incarnation of Endymion in pain, the White Prince stopped the flow of energy, taking her back in his arms.

"I'm afraid you've misjudged me. I would never kill such a lovely woman. But... I will kill you!" He hurled another wave of black lightning at Mamoru, smashing into his chest. He flew back and hit the ground hard, his bare skin grinding on the concrete. Through the pain, he glared upwards only to see Demando laughing again.

"How fun! We should really do this again sometime. But for now, I'll take my prize and leave you with nothing but your pitiful sorrow." He started to float upward.

"No... no! Bring her back!" Mamoru cried, wincing in pain. Demando ignored him and disappeared with Usagi. Mamoru groaned as he stood up, cradling his injured arm. They were gone. He had actually taken her. This couldn't be happening.

Mamoru started to limp back to his apartment, when he stepped on a round object in the grass. He picked it up, looking closer. It was Usagi's brooch. She must've dropped it when-when...well, he didn't want to think about it anymore. Flipping it open, he expected to be blinded by the Crystal's ethereal light, but there was nothing there. It was gone too. Demando had taken it along with Usagi. This was too much for Mamoru and, for the first time in years, he dropped to his knees and wept.

**Author's Note:** A thousand apologies! I've been working on my Bleach fanfics, and nearly forgot that I had promised to rewrite this one as well. Here's chapter three. I kept most of the end the way it was originally because I like it that way. But the next chapters will definitely have an overhaul, so please look forward to it!


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